APD mourns loss of colleague

Published
4:58 pm CDT, Wednesday, September 30, 2015

ALTON — Alton police officers mourned the sudden and unexpected death of one of their own Wednesday.

Rory Rathgeb, 60, a sergeant with the Alton Police Department, was found dead in a friend's home early Wednesday. An official report wasn't released by the Madison County Coroner's Office, but Coroner Stephen P. Nonn a Telegraph reporter Wednesday afternoon the death appeared to be of natural causes.

“Alton Police Sergeant Rory Rathgeb was an officer unlike any other," Alton Police Chief Jason "Jake" Simmons, a close friend of Rathgeb, said in a statement. "His sense of loyalty and duty is unmatched and he will have forever impacted the lives of those whom he encountered."

Rathgeb was staying with the friend, who lives in the 1100 block of Henry Street in Alton, at the time of his death, sources close to the sitation said prior to the release of official information. Rathgeb had plans to retire from the department in the coming months. He and his wife, Theresa, had recently sold their Alton home on 15th Street in anticipation of moving to Tennessee. Theresa Rathgeb was in Tennessee preparing for their move at the time of her husband’s death, the source said. Alton Police Department spokesperson Pfc. Emily Hejna later confirmed the information.

Rathgeb had been with the Alton Police Department since 1996. He was assigned to the Patrol Division, the Special Community Area Target Team (SCATT) Unit, the Investigations Division, the Narcotics Unit and the FBI Safe Street Task Force throughout his tenure with the Alton Police Department. Rathgeb was named Alton Police Department’s Officer of the Month twice for outstanding work in his field and received numerous letters of Appreciation, Commendation, and Recognition from the Alton Police Department, Alton community members and the United States Department of Justice.